Isaiah 48:16 Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it happened, I was there." And now the Lord GOD has sent me, accompanied by His Spirit.

◄ Isaiah 48:16 ►

New International Version
“Come near me and listen to this: “From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there.” And now the Sovereign LORD has sent me, endowed with his Spirit.

New Living Translation
Come closer, and listen to this. From the beginning I have told you plainly what would happen.” And now the Sovereign LORD and his Spirit have sent me with this message.

English Standard Version
Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit.

Berean Standard Bible
Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it happened, I was there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, accompanied by His Spirit.

King James Bible
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

New King James Version
“Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit Have sent Me.”

New American Standard Bible
“Come near to Me, listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.”

NASB 1995
“Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.”

NASB 1977
“Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Draw near to Me, hear this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. So now Lord Yahweh has sent Me, and His Spirit.”

Amplified Bible
“Come near to Me, listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret, From the time that it happened, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His [Holy] Spirit.”

Christian Standard Bible
Approach me and listen to this. From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time anything existed, I was there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me and his Spirit.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Approach Me and listen to this. From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time anything existed, I was there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me and His Spirit.

American Standard Version
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; from the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord Jehovah hath sent me, and his Spirit.

Contemporary English Version
Come closer and listen! I have never kept secret the things I have said, and I was here before time began. By the power of his Spirit the LORD God has sent me

English Revised Version
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; from the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD hath sent me, and his spirit.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Come here. Listen to this: From the beginning I have spoken nothing in private. From the time it took place, I was there. Now the Almighty LORD has sent me and his Spirit.

Good News Translation
"Now come close to me and hear what I say. From the beginning I have spoken openly and have always made my words come true." (Now the Sovereign LORD has given me his power and sent me.)

International Standard Version
Draw near to me, and listen to this: 'From the beginning I haven't spoken in secret; at the time it happened, I was there.' And now the LORD God, and his Spirit, has sent me.

Majority Standard Bible
Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it happened, I was there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, accompanied by His Spirit.

NET Bible
Approach me! Listen to this! From the very first I have not spoken in secret; when it happens, I am there." So now, the sovereign LORD has sent me, accompanied by his spirit.

New Heart English Bible
"Come near to me and hear this: "From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I." Now the LORD has sent me, with his Spirit.

Webster's Bible Translation
Come ye near to me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

World English Bible
“Come near to me and hear this: “From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it happened, I was there.” Now the Lord Yahweh has sent me with his Spirit.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Come near to Me, hear this, "" I have not spoken in secret from the beginning, "" From the time of its being, I [am] there, "" And now Lord YHWH has sent Me, and His Spirit.”

Young's Literal Translation
Come ye near unto me, hear this, Not from the beginning in secret spake I, From the time of its being, there am I, And now the Lord Jehovah hath sent me, and His Spirit.

Smith's Literal Translation
Draw ye near to me, hear this; I spake not in secret in the beginning; from the time of its being, there was I: and now the Lord Jehovah sent me, and his spirit.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Come ye near unto me, and hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning: from the time before it was done, I was there, and now the Lord God hath sent me, and his spirit.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Draw near to me, and listen to this. From the beginning, I have not spoken in secret. From the time before it happened, I was there. And now, the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit.

New American Bible
Come near to me and hear this! From the beginning I did not speak in secret; At the time it happens, I am there: “Now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his spirit.”

New Revised Standard Version
Draw near to me, hear this! From the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there. And now the Lord GOD has sent me and his spirit.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Come near to me, listen to this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the creation, there am I; and now the LORD God, and his Spirit, has sent me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Come to me and hear this, because from the origin I have not spoken in a secret place, and from the time that it was, there I am, and now LORD JEHOVAH God has sent me and his Spirit.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; From the time that it was, there am I; And now the Lord GOD hath sent me, and His spirit.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Draw nigh to me, and hear ye these words; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning: when it took place, there was I, and now the Lord, even the Lord, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Deliverance Promised to Israel
…15I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I have brought him, and he will succeed in his mission. 16Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it happened, I was there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, accompanied by His Spirit. 17Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who directs you in the way you should go.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.

John 16:13-15
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. / He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you. / Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you.

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,

John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. / He was with God in the beginning. / Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.

John 8:42
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.

John 12:49
I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it.

John 17:8
For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.

Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.

Galatians 4:4
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Hebrews 1:1-2
On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. / But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.

1 John 4:9
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.

Isaiah 42:1
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.

Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.

Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, / to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn,

Micah 3:8
As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.

Treasury of Scripture

Come you near to me, hear you this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, has sent me.

I have not

Isaiah 48:3-6
I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass…

Isaiah 45:19
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

John 18:20
Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

the Lord God

Isaiah 11:1-5
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: …

Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; …

Zechariah 2:8-11
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye…

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Isaiah 48

1. God, to convince the people of their foreknown obstinance, revealed his prophecies
9. He saves them for his own sake
12. He exhorts them to obedience, because of his power and providence
16. He laments their backwardness
20. He powerfully delivers his people out of Babylon

Berean Study Bible

Come near to Me
This phrase is an invitation to intimacy and understanding. In the Hebrew context, drawing near to God is often associated with worship and reverence. The call to "come near" suggests a personal relationship and a willingness to listen and obey. It reflects God's desire for His people to approach Him with open hearts, ready to receive His wisdom and guidance.

and listen to this
Listening in the biblical sense goes beyond mere hearing; it implies obedience and action. The Hebrew word for "listen" often carries the connotation of heeding or paying attention with the intent to follow. This phrase underscores the importance of not just hearing God's words but allowing them to transform one's life.

From the beginning I have not spoken in secret
This statement emphasizes God's transparency and faithfulness. Unlike the pagan gods of the time, who were often shrouded in mystery and secrecy, the God of Israel is open and clear in His communication. The phrase "from the beginning" suggests that God's plans and purposes have been consistent and unchanging, reinforcing His reliability and trustworthiness.

from the time it happened, I was there
Here, the text highlights God's omnipresence and sovereignty. The phrase indicates that God is not only aware of events as they unfold but is actively present and involved. This assurance of God's presence provides comfort and confidence to believers, knowing that He is always with them, guiding and sustaining them through every circumstance.

And now the Lord GOD has sent me
This part of the verse introduces the concept of divine commissioning. The speaker, often understood to be the prophet Isaiah or a messianic figure, is sent by God with a purpose. The phrase "the Lord GOD" (Adonai Yahweh) emphasizes the authority and power behind the sending, indicating that the mission is of utmost importance and backed by divine mandate.

accompanied by His Spirit
The mention of "His Spirit" signifies the empowerment and guidance provided by the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God is often associated with wisdom, strength, and prophetic insight. This phrase assures that the mission is not carried out in human strength alone but is supported and directed by the Spirit, ensuring its success and alignment with God's will.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) Come ye near unto me.--Here the address would seem to be made to Israel. At first Jehovah appears as the speaker, and as using much the same language as before. At the close the prophet appears abruptly, as speaking in his own person. Perhaps, indeed, the prophet is the speaker throughout. A paraphrase will perhaps help to explain the sequence of thought. "I have not from the beginning of my prophetic work spoken in dark, ambiguous speeches like the oracles of the heathen. From the time that the great work began to unfold itself I was present, contemplating it. Now the time of revelation has come. The Lord God hath sent me (this is the Hebrew order); and His Spirit. This gives, it is believed, an adequate explanation. By some interpreters the closing words are referred to the mysterious "Servant of the Lord," and by others the Spirit is made the object and not the subject of the word "sent."

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 16-22. - THE THIRD ADDRESS. Israel is reminded of God's merciful teaching and leading in the past (vers. 16, 17); expostulated with on their disobedience (vers. 18, 19); exhorted to go forth boldly and joyfully from Babylon (vers. 20, 21); and finally warned that God's blessings - even such a blessing as deliverance - are no blessings to any but the righteous (ver. 22). Verse 16. - I have not spoken in secret from the beginning. God, "from the beginning," i.e. from his first dealings with Israel, had raised up a succession of prophets, who had declared his will, not "in secret," or ambiguously, but openly and plainly, so that all who heard might understand (comp. Isaiah 45:19, and see the comment ad loc.). From the time that it was, there am I; i.e. "from the time that the earth was, there (in the succession of my prophetic messengers) was I." It was I who spake by their mouth, and thus announced my will publicly. And now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me. Dr. Kay supposes that "one Divine Personage is here sent by another" - the Second Person of the Holy Trinity by the First and by the Third; but it is against the analogy of faith that the Third Person should send the Second. Probably Mr. Cheyne is right in suggesting that "here a fresh speaker is introduced," and also right in his supposition that the fresh speaker is "the prophet himself," who tells us that he is now carrying on the goodly succession which has been "from the beginning," and is sent to deliver his message by God (the Father) and his (Holy) Spirit. On the tendency of Isaiah to "hypostatize" the Spirit of God, see the comment on Isaiah 40:13; and compare Mr. Cheyne's note on the same passage ('Prophecies of Isaiah,' vol. 1. p. 243).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Come near
קִרְב֧וּ (qir·ḇū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

to Me
אֵלַ֣י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

and listen
שִׁמְעוּ־ (šim·‘ū-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

to this:
זֹ֗את (zōṯ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

“From the beginning
מֵרֹאשׁ֙ (mê·rōš)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7218: The head

I have not
לֹ֤א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

spoken
דִּבַּ֔רְתִּי (dib·bar·tî)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

in secret;
בַּסֵּ֣תֶר (bas·sê·ṯer)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5643: A covering, hiding place, secrecy

from the time
מֵעֵ֥ת (mê·‘êṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - common singular
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

it took place,
הֱיוֹתָ֖הּ (hĕ·yō·w·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

I
אָ֑נִי (’ā·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

was there.”
שָׁ֣ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

And now
וְעַתָּ֗ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֧י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

GOD
יְהוִ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

has sent me,
שְׁלָחַ֖נִי (šə·lā·ḥa·nî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

accompanied by His Spirit.
וְרוּחֽוֹ׃ (wə·rū·ḥōw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

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OT Prophets: Isaiah 48:16 Come you near to me hear you (Isa Isi Is)